Along the Garden Path
Along the Garden Path is a case featured in Criminal Case where it appears as the tenth case in Sinner's Enigma. It takes place as the fourth case in the Resting Ravine district of Evergrace. Plot Heading to the Whistons' farm, Felix confirmed with the player that the place around felt too quiet. Suddenly, a panicking Mayor Whiston ran towards the lost duo, saying his brother was murdered. Quickly sweeping the murder scene, the detectives discovered the body of cattle farmer Daniel Whiston floating inside the watering trough, his hands cut off. After calming the mayor down, they investigated and ultimately suspected the mayor, as well the victim's daughter, Abbey Whiston, and landowner Benjamin Evans. While talking about the clues on the victim's farm, a cute collie, its paws covered in blood, yipped at them and ran into the barn. Felix and the player then chased the bloody collie into the barn, there discovering the collie yipping at a pair of garden shears. When a voice comes from behind, they quickly turn around and discover a surprised Marceline Patron, who was the owner of the collie. She shrugged and didn't know why it was covered in blood, taking him away to wash it up. They also suspected con artist Octavian Markham after discovering a letter saying that he was trying to swindle Daniel into handing him the keys to his farm. While investigating around, the mayor was found drunkenly crying, saying that he's going to drink enough so he can see his brother again. After calming down the drunken and suicidal mayor, the team continued investigating until ultimately arresting collie caretaker Marceline Patron for the murder. Marceline denied everything, saying that she was only tasked for taking care of collies, not murdering farmers. However when the evidence was pointed against her, she snapped, saying that Daniel was a horrible caretaker. She then said that years ago, Daniel's wife left him as she was scared he was going to die in war in Europe. Only with his rebellious daughter remaining, he would normally be depressed, downing alcohol and taking less care of his animals. In order to help Daniel, Marceline gave him a small collie, since dogs usually made her happy. While it worked out at first, he never took the dog outside and forgot to feed him while he went out to various bars and brothels. He was usually asleep or too lazy to care for the collie. Marceline started tearing up, saying that the collie died of starvation a month after, and that she despised the victim ever since. When seeing Daniel in tears by his farm, she grabbed some garden shears leaning by a shed and quickly cut his hands off as revenge for his poor caretaking skills with animals. Judge Dosett understood Marceline's anger due to himself having a dog, but that wasn't an excuse when he sentenced her to 35 years in prison. Shortly after, Benjamin quickly ran into the station, saying that the farm was on fire. When Benjamin told the detectives that the farm was on fire, the player, Felix and Katelyn hurried to the burning farm where they heard the screams of a tied up Abbey in the burning farm. They were able to rescue her and extinguish the flames before Felix and the player investigated a pile of smoldering wreckage to discover an oil can, with an strange message inscribed in it. The ever-brilliant Skylar then revealed that the message was written by the arsonist that was in the district, saying that they would burn the world of care and prosperity. Skylar then revealed that she had concluded that the "world of care and prosperity" was the local soup kitchen that helped many homeless people and war veterans in the district. They then informed Benjamin of the dire news so he could help the efforts of protecting people's homes due to his knowledge in landowning. Meanwhile, the player and Katelyn talked to Abbey, who told them that someone had kidnapped her uncle, Mayor Whiston, and left her tied up in the burning farm. They then investigated the victim's living room where the duo was attacked and found Dave's tie left behind on the floor. They then collected a sample from the tie, which Seamus revealed was milk. They then hurried to the lonely barn where they found a burner phone among the cow pastures. They then unlocked the phone where they discovered a text mentioning that the sender was to kidnap the Mayor while the recipient burned the farm as a distraction. This helped Katelyn and the player conclude that the arsonist and the kidnapper was in league with each other. After all the events, the team informed Abbey about her missing uncle and her burning farm being due to the arsonist and kidnapper. Abbey then told them that she would be staying with her cousin and Dave's daughter, Alissa Whiston. Felix then promised that the Whiston family would be put under protection before Abbey wished them look on snagging the two wrongdoers. Shortly after, Chief Wakefield told them that they had to catch The Flame and the kidnapper soon before the player and the Chief received a phone call about the soup kitchen going up in flames. Summary Victim *'Daniel Whiston' (found with his hands cut off) Murder Weapon *'Garden Shears' Killer *'Marceline Patron' Suspects Profile: * This suspect rides hansom cabs * This suspect uses cocaine tooth drops Profile: * This suspect owns a collie * This suspect rides hansom cabs * This suspect uses cocaine tooth drops Profile: * This suspect owns a collie * This suspect rides hansom cabs * This suspect uses cocaine tooth drops Appearance: * This suspect wears blue paisley clothing Profile: * This suspect owns a collie * This suspect rides hansom cabs * This suspect uses cocaine tooth drops Appearance: * This suspect wears blue paisley clothing Profile: * This suspect owns a collie * This suspect rides hansom cabs * This suspect uses cocaine tooth drops Appearance: * This suspect wears blue paisley clothing Killer's Profile *The killer owns a collie. *The killer rides hansom cabs. *The killer uses cocaine tooth drops. *The killer has brown eyes. *The killer wears blue paisley clothing. Crime Scenes Steps Chapter 1 *Investigate Farm Entrance. (Clues: Victim's Body, Torn Pieces, Pile of Hay) *Examine Torn Pieces. (Result: Photo of Brothers; New Suspect: Dave Whiston) *Inform Mayor Whiston of his brother's murder. (New Crime Scene: Victim's Living Room) *Investigate Victim's Living Room. (Clues: Old Photo, Locked Safe) *Examine Old Photo. (Result: Victim's Daughter Identified; New Suspect: Abbey Whiston) *Inform Abbey of her father's murder. *Examine Locked Safe. (Result: Faded Deeds) *Examine Faded Deeds. (Result: Deeds' Ownership; New Suspect: Benjamin Evans) *Ask Benjamin about owning the land of the ranch. *Examine Pile of Hay. (Result: Bloodstained Paper) *Analyze Bloodstained Paper. (03:00:00; Attribute: The killer rides hansom cabs) *Autopsy Victim's Body. (18:00:00; Attribute: The killer owns a collie) *Go to Chapter 2. (No stars) Chapter 2 *Investigate Lonely Barn. (Clues: Bloody Collie Collie, Locked Wallet, Cow Trough; New Suspect: Marceline Patron) *Interrogate Miss Patron why her collie is stained with blood. (Attribute: Marceline has a collie) *Examine Locked Wallet. (Result: Broken Pieces) *Examine Broken Pieces. (Result: ID Card; New Suspect: Octavian Markham) *Confront Octavian about snooping around the Whiston farm. (Attribute: Octavian rides hansom cabs) *Examine Cow Trough. (Result: Victim's Hands) *Analyze Victim's Hands. (12:00:00; Attribute: The killer uses cocaine tooth drops; New Crime Scene: Farm Enclosure) *Investigate Farm Enclosure. (Result: Pitchfork and Note, Smashed Pieces) *Examine Pitchfork's Note. (Result: Note Revealed) *Examine Note's Writing. (Result: Handwriting Identified) *Confront Abbey about threatening her father with a pitchfork. (Attribute: Abbey owns a collie, uses cocaine tooth drops and rides hansom cabs) *Examine Smashed Pieces. (Result: Dave's Watch) *Analyze Dave's Watch. (09:00:00) *Ask Dave Whiston why the victim smashed his watch to bits. (Attribute: Dave rides hansom cabs and uses cocaine tooth drops) *Go to Chapter 3. (No stars) Chapter 3 *Investigate Sitting Area. (Clues: Torn Pieces, Flower Bouquet, Locked Safe) *Examine Torn Pieces. (Result: Letter to Victim) *Confront Octavian about trying to get the victim's farm. (Attribute: Octavian owns a collie and uses cocaine tooth drops) *Examine Flower Bouquet. (Result: Brown Crumbs) *Examine Brown Crumbs. (Result: Vegan Dog Treats) *Ask Marceline about the flower bouquet that the victim gave her. (Attribute: Marceline uses cocaine tooth drops and rides hansom cabs) *Examine Locked Safe. (Result: Law Papers) *Analyze Law Papers. (09:00:00) *Confront Benjamin about the victim ruining his lands. (Attribute: Benjamin uses cocaine tooth drops, rides hansom cabs and owns a collie) *Investigate Barn Troughs. (Clues: Bloody Shears, Horse Pucky) *Examine Bloody Shears. (Result: Sweat) *Analyze Sweat. (09:00:00; Attribute: The killer has brown eyes) *Examine Horse Pucky. (Result: Bloody Drop Case) *Analyze Tooth Drop Case. (15:00:00; Attribute: The killer wears blue paisley clothing) *Take care of the killer now! *Go to A Hostage to Fortune (4/6). (No stars) A Hostage to Fortune (4/6) *Interrogate Benjamin Evans about what happened. *Investigate Farm Entrance. (Clues: Burning Wreckage, Abbey Whiston) *Examine Burning Wreckage. (Result: Oil Can) *Examine Oil Can. (Result: Strange Message) *Analyze Strange Message. (06:00:00) *Inform Benjamin about what happened. (Reward: 20,000 Coins) *See why Abbey was screaming in the burning farm. (Reward: Abbey's Pearl Necklace) *Investigate Victim's Living Room. (Clues: Dave's Tie) *Examine Dave's Tie. (Result: Clear Liquid) *Analyze Clear Liquid. (06:00:00) *Investigate Lonely Barn. (Clue: Burner Phone) *Examine Burner Phone. (Result: Phone Unlocked) *Tell Abbey about her family and their farm. (All tasks must be completed; Reward: Burger) *Go on to the next case! (No stars) Navigation Category:All Fanmade Cases Category:Cases in Sinner's Enigma Category:Resting Ravine